AfricaPress-Tanzania: ZANZIBAR President Dr Hussein Mwinyi on Monday tasked newly-appointed permanent secretaries to instill discipline in public service and firmly control public expenditures.
“You’re the accounting officers in your respective portfolios…control of the government funds is your obligation,” charged Dr Mwinyi, demanding an end to the use of cash and hand written receipts in the collection of government revenues.
Addressing the nation soon after administering oaths by the new ministerial chief executives, Dr Mwinyi said it was high time the country wholly embraced electronic system in all financial transactions.
President Mwinyi banned all expenses without any productivity for the government, citing endless but irrelevant seminars and workshops, which consume substantial public resources. He further stopped all expenditures outside the budget.
The president further ordered the suspension of about 80 accountants in the public sector with various charges of public fund embezzlement.
“You are the discipline and accountability authorities…go out there and introduce effective systems and measures to cleanse your ministries of laziness, truancy and undue bureaucracy,” the president directed.
He, however, reminded the PSs to observe the welfare of employees if they have to perform their duties with great efficiency. “The rights of workers—overtime and other legitimate allowances—should be your priority,” he charged.
The president limited foreign trips to only productive official travels, which should be equally shared among all employees. “Foreign travels, including training, should never be the reserve of the few individuals,” he warned.
Dr Mwinyi directed the accounting officers to effectively administer all procurements in their ministries and ensure that there is “value for money” in every penny that the government spends.
He cited Zanzibar Water Authority (ZAWA), which he accused of spending multimillions of shilling in the procurement of water pumps, which have failed within a year. “…they procured the defective machines even though they were aware of the best pumps that could last for over ten years,” fumed Dr Mwinyi.
The vividly furious president referred to Zanzibar Airports Authority, Zanzibar Electricity Company and Zanzibar Shipping Corporation as among the public organisations with “irritating procurement scandals.”
Out of 12 scanners at Abeid Amani Karume International Airport, for instance, nine are defective, the president noted, directing: “We have to take actions against people who are failing us; not because we hate or want to bully them.”
Sixteen PSs and six deputies took oath of office at an afternoon ceremony, which was hosted at the Vuga-based State House grounds here.
They were PS in the President’s Office, Labour, Economy and Investment Mussa Haji Ali; and President’s Office, Constitution, Legal, Public Service and Good Governance Seif Shaaban Mwinyi.
Others with their dockets in brackets are Massoud Hussein Iddi (President’s Office, Regional Administration, Local Government and Special Departments); Khadija Khamis Rajabu (First Vice-President’s Office); Juma Malik Akil (President’s Office, Finance and Planning); Thabit Idarous Faina (Second Vice-President’s Office, Policy and Coordination of House of Representatives); and Maryam Juma Sadalla (Agriculture, Irrigation, Natural Resources and Livestock).
In the list also were Dr Omar Dadi Shajak (Health, Social Welfare, Elders, Gender and Children); Amour Hamil Bakari (Works, Communication and Transport); Ali Khamis Juma (Education and Vocational Training); Dr Islam Seif Salum (Trade and Industrial Development); Joseph John Kilangi (Land and Settlement Development); Dr Miraji Mngereza Mzee (Water, Energy and Minerals); Dr Aboud Suleiman Jumbe (Blue Economy and Fisheries); Fatma Hamad Rajab (Information, Youth, Culture and Sports); and Fatma Mabrouk Khamis (Tourism and Heritage).
The deputy PSs with their portfolios in brackets are Mansura Mossi Kassim (President’s Office, Constitution); Khalfan Shehe Saleh (Regional Administration); Khamis Suleiman Mwalim (Finance and Planning); Rashid Said Rashid (Finance—ICT); Abeida Rashid Abdalla (Health); and Khamis Abdalla Said (Information).
President Mwinyi also administered the oath of Director General in the Ministry of Health Abdallah Suleiman Ali and Deputy Attorney General Shaaban Ramadhan Abdalla.
Further members of the Public Service Commission, led by their Chairlady Fatma Gharib Bilal took oath of office. Others were Ali Hassan Rajab, Nassor Ali Salim and Halima Ramadhan Taufik.
Ms Suzan Peter Kunambi was also sworn in as District Commissioner for Unguja West ‘A’.
